Tips to Keep Your Children Brushing

Dental

June 22, 2016

Like nearly anything else that feels like a
chore or a routine, it can be a challenge to get your kids in the habit of
brushing their teeth, both regularly and thoroughly. Teaching your children the
benefits of dental hygiene early will be a great benefit to them as adults.
Encouraging them on a daily basis may seem daunting and sometimes not worth
fighting for, but is worth the due diligence.

With our team’s combined decades of
experience, we have worked with plenty of parents struggling to help teach
their kids a healthy dental care routine. Here are some of our favorite tips
and tricks to help you and your kids along the way.

Lead
by Example

In general, children tend to love doing
things they see their parents doing. Making their teeth cleaning routine
similar to yours will feel natural and take advantage of their desire to be
like you. Kids often want to help parents with their routine, so if they ask to
brush your teeth you have an easy way to make a game of brushing each other's
teeth.

Use a
Fun Toothbrush and Toothpaste

Have your kids pick out a toothbrush that
they will want to use - it’s easy to find brushes that are brightly colored or
designed like cartoon characters, animals, and other favorite toys. Finding an
age-appropriate toothpaste will also help. Many toothpastes designed for kids
are naturally sweetened or lightly flavored, making brushing a more pleasant
experience for them.

Get
Creative

Don’t be afraid to try different ways to
bring some fun to the brushing routine. Challenge your child to a game over who
can do a better job brushing, use the time to listen to a favorite song of
theirs, or have them practice skills such as counting while they watch you
brush. If you or your partner are feeling extra creative, you can create a
unique story to tell their kids about why brushing well is important.

Use
Rewards

Establishing a reward or incentive system is
a great way to encourage your kids to develop good habits over time. The
rewards don’t have to be anything drastic; we often recommend things as easy as
giving them 10 more minutes of playing before bedtime as enough of a reward for
good brushing all day. If you are trying to help them create other healthy
habits you can build in a reward for two weeks or a month of sticking to a
plan.

Our professional staff has plenty of
experience helping talk with parents and kids about the importance of a healthy
mouth. We take pride in our work and want to help your kids feel proud of their
bright, clean smiles. If you want to talk more about how to encourage and train
healthy oral habits, contact us
today!